California Won’t Pursue Dairy Pricing Legislation

State’s ag secretary says not enough progress has been made on finding common ground for financial relief for the industry.

Source: Western United Dairymen

The head of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Secretary Karen Ross, issued a statement Aug. 27 that dairy pricing legislation, AB 2730, introduced last week to "modernize California’s dairy processing system will not be pursued this session."

"While the timing was not ideal, I was compelled to see if we could get something done this year," Ross said. "Since the Aug. 13 Task Force meeting, a tremendous amount of progress has been made, but not enough. So we will not be pursuing reform legislation this year."

Below are the full text of her statement and statements from Sen. Cathleen Galgiani, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Assemblywoman Susan Susan Talamantes Eggman, chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee.

Statement from CDFA Secretary Karen Ross:
"Let me begin by thanking all of you who have spent many, many hours considering ways in which we can reform the industry in a positive and collaborative way. I established the Dairy Future Task Force to see if we could find commonality amongst two sides that have been separated for quite some time. Through this process, a framework came together that would have meant substantial financial relief for producers and flexibility to processors that would have benefited the whole industry. While the timing was not ideal, I was compelled to see if we could get something done this year. Since the August 13th Task Force meeting, a tremendous amount of progress has been made, but not enough. So we will not be pursuing reform legislation this year."

Statement from Assembly Member Susan Talamantes Eggman, chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee:
"Over the last few months there has been significant progress in narrowing the great divide among stakeholders over how to reform California’s dairy market. I thank the Secretary and Senator Galgiani for their leadership in this effort and urge all stakeholders to build on the good work that has been done, so we can ensure the long-term stability and success of California’s dairy industry."

Statement from State Senator Cathleen Calgiani, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee:
"Thank you to all the dairy producers, processors, Secretary Ross and Assembly Member Eggman for working tirelessly to find a solution to this prolonged and highly debated pricing issue. I am committed to remain engaged until a solution is found that will establish a fair and equitable milk pricing system in California."